Electrical connector

Abstract

The electrical connector is physically attached to the external surface of a metallic structure (and which might contain flammable fluid) solely by virture of an annular layer of resinous adhesive. The annular adhesive layer is carried by the centrally-open lower-side of a frame member to provide vertically aligned central-openings for the adhesive and the frame member lower-side. At least one electrically conductive and upwardly deflectable contact member is located within the frame member and includes a contact member lower free-end protruding through the vertically aligned central-openings so that the free-end is initially disposed below the adhesive layer. However, once the electrical connector is physically adhesively attached to the metallic structure external surface, the contact member free-end is in electrically conductive abutment against the metallic structure external surface, and hence, is substantially co-elevational with the adhesive layer physical attachment. An electrically conductive terminal member, which might be connected to an electrons source, is in electrically conductive relationship to the contact member. In a preferred embodiment, the contact member takes the form of two cantilevered leaf springs protruding downwardly through a pair of vertically aligned central-openings.

I claim: 
     
       1. Electrical connector securely attachable with a laminar adhesive to the linearly generated external surface of a metallic structure, said electrical connector comprising: (A) a frame member including an upper-side and also a substantially horizontal and linearly generated lower-side that is provided with at least one central-opening for said frame member, and said frame member upper-side including a housing portion overlying said centrally-open lower-side;   (B) a laminar adhesive carried by and extending horizontally along said frame member lower-side and including at least one central-opening in vertical alignment with a frame member lower-side central-opening;   (C) at least one electrically conductive contact member located within said frame housing portion and including a free-end extending through said vertically aligned central-openings, whereby said free-end is at an elevation below that of the laminar adhesive, and said contact member being upwardly manually deflectable to an extent that said free-end can become substantially co-elevational with said laminar adhesive and in electrically conductive abutment with said metallic structure; and   (D) an electrically conductive terminal member attached in electrically conductive relationship to said contact member remote from the free-end thereof.   
     
     
       2. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the laminar adhesive consists wholly of an electrically insulative resinous material; and wherein the laminar adhesive is protected with a releasably attached protective layer that provides the lowermost elevation of said electrical connector prior to its installation to the external surface of a metallic structure. 
     
     
       3. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the frame member upper portion comprises an upwardly extending tubular nipple and a topical cap removably attached thereto; and wherein the electrically conductive contact member comprises a metallic helical spring attached to said cap and extending downwardly therefrom through said vertically aligned central-openings. 
     
     
       4. The electrical connector of claim 3 wherein the cap is metallic and is removably threadedly engaged vertically alongside said nipple; wherein the helical spring is attached to said cap; and wherein the terminal member is attached to said cap. 
     
     
       5. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the frame member lower-side is defined by a substantially horizontal base-plate provided with said at least one central-opening; wherein the frame member housing portion comprises a domed-plate including relatively flat peripheral portions attached to said base-plate and also including a central domed portion overlying the base-plate central-opening; wherein the electrically conductive contact member comprises at least one metallic leaf spring secured between the base-plate and relatively flat peripheral portions of said domed-plate, and said leaf spring protruding through said vertically aligned central-openings whereby a free-end thereof is located in elevation below that of the laminar adhesive. 
     
     
       6. The electrical connector of claim 5 wherein said leaf spring is of L-shape including a lengthier horizontal portion that is terminally secured between said base-plate and domed-plate and also including a vertical portion extending downwardly through said vertically aligned central-openings. 
     
     
       7. The electrical connector of claim 6 wherein the baseplate is of metallic structural material; wherein the domed portion of the domed-plate overlies two said vertically aligned central-openings and two said leaf springs, respective vertical portions of said cantilevered leaf springs extending downwardly through respective said vertically aligned central-openings; and wherein the terminal member is attached to said base-plate. 
     
     
       8. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive and upwardly deflectable contact member comprises a reticulated and compressible metallic pad that is predominately located within the frame member housing portion; and wherein the terminal member extends through said housing portion and is attached to an upper portion of said reticulated pad through an intervening electrically conductive adapter. 
     
     
       9. The electrical connector of claim 8 wherein the reticulated metallic pad is moderately impregnated with a resinous material to such modest extent whereby the metallic fibers protrude through the resinous matrix, and said resinous matrix also adherently extending through perforations of said intervening adapter. 
     
     
       10. In combination with a metallic structure adapted to enclose a flowable fluid, an electrical connector attached at the linearly generated external surface of said metallic structure, said electrical connector at the metallic structure comprising: (A) a centrally-open frame member including an upperside and a linearly generated lower-side, said linearly generated lower-side being located nearer to said external surface and being attached thereto with a centrally-open tenacious laminar adhesive of an electrically insulative resinous type whereby the sole means for physically attaching the electrical connector to the metallic structure consists of said adhesive extending laminarly between the frame member lower-side and the metallic structure external surface, and said frame member upperside including a housing portion overlying aligned central-openings of the frame member lower-side and of the laminar adhesive;   (B) an electrically conductive contact member located within said frame member housing portion and including a free-end extending into said aligned central-openings and abutting firmly against the metallic structure external surface, whereby said contact member free-end is the sole means for effecting an electrically conductive relationship between the metallic structure and the electrical connector; and   (C) an electrically conductive terminal member attached in electrically conductive relationship to the contact member remote from the free-end thereof.   
     
     
       11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the metallic structure is a pipeline and wherein the terminal member is in electrically connected relationship to an anodic source of electrons for said electrical connector and said pipeline. 
     
     
       12. In combination with a buried, but partially exposed, pipeline metallic structure, an electrical connector securely attached with a laminar adhesive to a linearly generated and exposed external surface of said pipeline metallic structure, said electrical connector at the partially exposed pipeline metallic structure comprising: (A) a centrally-open frame member including an upperside and a linearly generated lower-side, said lower-side being located nearer to said external surface and being securely attached thereto with a centrally-open laminar adhesive of an electrically insulative resinous type, and said frame member upper-side including a housing portion overlying aligned central-openings of the frame member lower-side and of the laminar adhesive;   (B) an electrically conductive contact member located within said frame member housing portion and including a free-end extending into said aligned central-openings and abutting firmly against the exposed linearly generated external surface of the pipeline metallic structure; and   (C) an electrically conductive terminal member attached in electrically conductive relationship to the contact member remote from the free-end thereof.